Two people have died in France as severe storms hit the country after a period of intense heat, local media reported, citing authorities, DPA reported, BTA reported.
In the Tarn-et-Garonne department in southern France, a 12-year-old boy died when a tree fell near a stream as he tried to reach safety with his family, BFMTV reported, citing emergency services.
Meanwhile, in a village in northwestern France, a quadricycle driver died after crashing into a tree that had fallen onto the road, Ici television reported.
In many parts of France, temperatures soared well above 30 degrees Celsius Celsius, before giving way to severe thunderstorms. Wind gusts reached 120 km/h, leading to severe weather warnings in 57 departments.
Emergency services were heavily involved in responding to the incidents, as more than 100,000 households temporarily lost power, the civil protection agency said.
In Paris, Prime Minister François Bayrou urged residents of affected areas to be extremely cautious. He personally experienced the impact of the severe storms over Paris, where torrential rain caused water to enter the parliament building while lawmakers were in session, forcing a brief pause, BFMTV reported.
At the top of the Eiffel Tower, winds reached 112 km/h. The torrential rain flooded many metro stations and caused traffic problems. In just 20 minutes, the temperature in Paris dropped by 11 degrees.